Foster The People

Article by: Carla Antonelli

Posted: 09/27/2011

The question on everyone’s mind Thursday evening was why Foster the People were slated for the second night of Next Big Nashville’s SoundLand.

Mark Foster and gang were the most mainstream act on the schedule due to the success of one of this summer’s breakout songs, “Pumped Up Kicks.” When Foster the People were booked for SoundLand, no one could have predicted how that song was going to take off. The unstoppable energy of their live performance definitely left people feeling like they had just watched the closing band of a festival.

When Foster, Mark Pontius and Cubbie Fink took to the 12th Avenue Block Party Stage, the crowd was pumped and ready to get their groove on. It comes as no surprise that Foster used to write TV ad jingles. Nearly every FTP song possesses an undeniable and memorable hook.

The energy-charged performance had the crowd singing every oo la la in “I Would Do Anything For You,” and dancing their way through “Call It What You Want,” and “Don’t Stop (Color On The Walls),” which you can currently hear spinning on Nissan’s Versa commercial.

FTP’s synth-charged sound resonates well live, and they have a light show that’s begging for an arena tour. FTP had one of the longest sets of the night, clocking in at nearly a full hour. The crowd got a little restless in spots, and the band’s quick stage departure made everyone wonder if they were really going to hear their favorite song.

But Foster returned to the stage and took to the piano to play a new song, a ballad called “Ruby.” This took the crowd by surprise for a minute, but gave them a chance to catch their breath before the rest of the band returned to the stage to finally play “Pumped Up Kicks.”

The crowd erupted at the sound of the first chord and sang every word, sometimes drowning out Foster himself. There was no doubt that this hit parade definitely left everyone in a good mood as they headed off to see the remaining shows that evening.